Written Statement: Cabinet appointments to the new Welsh Government

This Senedd term will bring with it new challenges and new opportunities.

For the last 15 months, we have focused all our attention and our energies on responding to the pandemic – a public health and economic emergency, which has cast such a long shadow over all our lives.

Thanks to the hard work and effort of everyone across Wales and the enormous effort to vaccinate people against this terrible virus, our future looks much brighter today.

Our focus is now on recovery – recovering from the pandemic and rebuilding Wales into a stronger, greener and fairer country.

My new Welsh Government combines experience and new talent to shape our future and create the jobs and opportunities we need as we move into the next chapter.

The environment will be at the heart of our decision-making. The climate change emergency has not gone away while we have been dealing with the pandemic. Wales is a beautiful country with immense natural assets, which will help power our recovery and create the jobs of the future.

In my new government, the environment will not just have a seat at the Cabinet table; it will be a consideration in everything we do.  

This new Cabinet is ready to get to work to set Wales on the path to recovery out of this long pandemic, which has cast such a shadow over all our lives. This is a talented and committed team, determined to make a positive difference to Wales and for Wales.

We will use all our efforts and energies to create a stronger, fairer and greener Wales,

where no one is held back or left behind.

The new Welsh Government

Mark Drakeford                  First Minister

Mick Antoniw                     Counsel General designate and Minister for the Constitution

Rebecca Evans                 Minister for Finance and Local Government

Vaughan Gething               Economy Minister

Dawn Bowden                   Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip

Lesley Griffiths                  Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd

Jane Hutt                          Minister for Social Justice

Hannah Blythyn                 Deputy Minister for Social Partnership

Julie James                       Minister for Climate Change

Lee Waters                        Deputy Minister for Climate Change

Jeremy Miles                     Minister for Education and the Welsh Language

Eluned Morgan                  Minister for Health and Social Services

Julie Morgan                      Deputy Minister for Social Services

Lynne Neagle                    Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing